Living life as a busy interior designer, mom and entrepreneur, there is “stuff”. Paperwork on my desk, boxes of props, bags of fabric swatches, piles of samples, and more paper. How to tackle it, and what to do with it all? One of my favourite tasks of early January is to clear the slate and file away all of my business paperwork from the previous year. I really do enjoy this task, believe it or not. One reason is that I allow myself to set aside a block of time to feel efficient and on top of my business. The second reason is that I invest in tidy, bright filing items to make the task enjoyable, visually. A stack of new file folders, a great felt tip pen, a new stylish filing box, and off I happily go.

enjoying the purge

During the majority of our interior design projects, I encourage our clients to sort and purge as much as they can. One of the most frequent requests from clients is “more storage”. I believe in creating practical, efficient storage for items that one knows they will use or truly enjoy. Being free of clutter allows us to enjoy the clean design of a new space.

and making it pretty

Offices are always a challenge. These days, I recommend scanning older paperwork, and digitizing as much as possible. Where paper can’t be avoided, it can be made to be visually pleasant, and simpler to file away. Well-organized filing drawers, neat boxes that nestle into shelving units and well-ordered magazine boxes are a must near the desk. Lots of binders? Purchase a dozen or so in crisp white, clearly label them, and filing will become a joy. Investing in all-white components, or choosing a cheerful consistent accent colour creates a design statement that will encourage organization and make you smile.

It needn’t be a huge investment of time or money. Just give yourself permission to take the time to make this small change in your everyday visual.

New year, fresh office

Oh, the renovation possibilities!

Starting the interior design process